Journal of clinical psychopharmacology
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J Clin Psychopharmacol · Dec 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyMaintenance of wakefulness with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, compared with placebo and armodafinil in healthy adult males undergoing acute sleep loss.
This study evaluated daytime alertness and performance with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate during acute sleep loss. In a randomized, double-blind study in healthy adult men (n = 135) undergoing 24-hour sleep loss, the alerting effects of single oral lisdexamfetamine dimesylate doses (20, 50, or 70 mg) were compared with a placebo and an active control (armodafinil 250 mg). Primary end point was mean unequivocal sleep latency on the 30-minute maintenance of wakefulness test taken every 2 hours from midnight to 8:00 A. ⋯ Small mean increases in vital signs were observed with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate and armodafinil. In sleep-deprived healthy men, alertness was greater with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate and armodafinil versus placebo on the primary end point. Studies are needed in clinical populations and using longer durations of administration.
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J Clin Psychopharmacol · Dec 2014
Comparative Study Clinical TrialComparison of physician-rating and self-rating scales for patients with major depressive disorder.
Physician-rating scales remain the standard in antidepressant clinical trials. The current study aimed to examine the discrepancies between physician-rating scales and self-rating scales for symptoms and functioning, before and after treatment, in newly hospitalized patients. A total of 131 acutely ill inpatients with major depressive disorder were enrolled to receive 20 mg of fluoxetine daily for 6 weeks. ⋯ Correlations between baseline physician-rating scale scores and self-rating scale scores improved after 6 weeks of treatment. Physician-rating scales had larger effect sizes than self-rating scales. Physician-rating scales were more sensitive in detecting symptom or functional changes than self-rating scales.
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J Clin Psychopharmacol · Dec 2014
Levetiracetam as adjunctive therapy for acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome in hospitalized patients.
Benzodiazepines are often considered the standard of care for managing symptoms of acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Because of potential adverse effects, other agents have been evaluated in this patient population. Previous studies have produced mixed results on the efficacy of levetiracetam in alcohol withdrawal. ⋯ The adjunctive use of levetiracetam does not significantly reduce the benzodiazepine requirements of patients experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal in the inpatient setting.